Tent



an. 20, 19458. J. H. CLAUS 2,434,585

TENT Filed June 17, 1943 1 e sheets-sheet 1 /O BY Jan. 20, 1948. J, H CLAUS 2,434,685

TENT

I Filed June 17. 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .dof/1v h'. C/.nus

Jan. 20, 1948.

TENT

Filed June 17, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. L/OH/V H. CLAUS /Oo- BY rrore/VEY J. H. CLAUS v 2,434,685

Jan. 20, 1948.

J. H. CLAUS 2,434,685

TENT l Filed June 17, 1943 @sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR. daf/v H. CLF/us Jan. 20, 1948. J. H. CLAUS 2,434,685

TENT

Filed June 1'7. 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /of /o/ /os fog 1 /35 Hwa-WOR.

/3 y /af /a/ /J /JJ 2 Y .Ja/,w ff L ws Jan. 2o, 194s.

J. H. CLAUS 2,434,685

TENT Filed June 17. 1943 essheets-sheet e u INVENTOR. JOHN H. C0105 HT Tom/Er Patented Jan. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT;orrichgff;*jf

TENT

John H. Claus, Lincoln, Nebr. f Application June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,151 v i".

13 Claims. (Cl. 135-4) This invention relates to portable buildings, and has particular relation to a foldable structure suitable for camp tents and the like.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a foldable structure in which the folded parts may be of such length as to flt readily into the storage spaces of an ordinary automobile, yet which may be unfolded to provide a, relatively rigid building structure of sufcient dimensions that it may be used by adult individuals.

Another object of my invention is to provide a unique means for securing together the various parts of a frame structure.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new and novel means for stretching the roof or covering of a portable building, as for instance a tent or the like.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specifications, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a camp tent or summer house constructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the framework of the building shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View in end elevation of the front end panel of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, taken from inside, and illustrating the framework of the door and window.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective illustrating one end of the front sill or foundation member of the structure shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of an adjoining end of one of the side sill members before it is engaged to the front sill.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective lshowing the adjoining or lower end of a corner member before it is hooked on to the end of the front sill.

Figure 7 is a View in perspective showing how a lower corner of the frame structure appears when in the engaged or erected position.

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of a center post as it appears in erected or extended position.

Figure 9V is a view in perspective of the middle portion of a front or rear sill and Figures 8 and 9 taken together illustrate how themembers appear in relation to one another just before the 2 Il center post is engaged-on the sill. The'uppe'r" portion of the post is shown in extended position.' Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the upper portion of a centerjp'os'tf with the upper end ofthe post folded down as it would appear before the canvas roof is in place. Figure 11 is a fragmentary' view in Yfront el'e vation of the upper end of la corner post andv one of the members which, together with the canvas" cover, form the eaves of the'structure'.' i f' Figure 12 is a View in perspective showing eave forming member shown in Figurev 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentaryviewfinvperspective'jfj of the lower end of a corner post. Figure 14 is a view in perspective of a front or f rear sill member. i

' c Figure 15 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the end of a side sill member, Figuresl, :14' i and 15 being positioned gether to form a corner of the frame structure.

may be assembled bers.

front or rear upper frame member. Y Figure 18 is a view in perspective of the upper end of a front or rear frame member.

Figure 19 is a View in post and a front or rear frame member.-

Figure 2O is another fragmentary view-in per-' spective of the corner post section -of Figure li3.- l Figure 21 is a View in perspective of afsidesill.V

.Figure 22 is another fragmentaryzview inperspective of the end of a front or lower end of a side center post.

Figure 24 is a fragmentary view perspective I of the upper end of the side center post shown` Referring now to .the drawings; and particularly to Figures 1 and2; a preferred embodiment;

of my invention is shown therein including a to Vshow these membersas they appear just before they are joined 'to- 1 Figure 17 is a View in perspective illustrating a l center post illustratingV 'if how it may be joined to an upper front :orrean perspective illustratingd an end of either of the side frame members-fand Y how it appears just before it is joined to a corner rear sillfmemi ber such as shown in Figure 14. i Figure 23 is a View in perspective showing the neming it' Y right, and rear corner posts I1 and I8. I also use front center posts I and rear center post 2| and side center posts 22 and 23, left and right are also provided.

A rectangular upper frame is also provided consisting of front upper frame 24, rear upper frame 26.,leftaupperiframe 21, and; right upper frame 28. Alliot'theseemeimbersfare foldable and in the present embodiment .of the invention the longest piece, when folded, is only 31A. feet long, so that the whole structure may be folded so as to be stowed away in an ordinary automobile. The front and rear sills I0 and II aresubstantially identicaland are best illustrated at,v I0r in Figure 14. These sills consist of'two members IUI and I02 joined by a hinge |03 normally on the bottom of the sill arid having ties |04 and I05.,on, thecpp'osite` ends thereof proj ecting. beyoricl.,the...audaci the sillv members.

The..slde'sills|2 and.l3. (Figure 2l) klikewise are substantially. identical and consistoi two members. I3 I f and.; |32, joinedby a. hinge |33 on the under .Sider thereof. andl having loops, indicated at1|34and.135onthevopposite endsof the members.. of .suchddimensions. .as to slip readily lover.; the, prejectingputen endsl .or the front and rear s'llls I0 and. I I. .Each of` tliesills'has-a pair of.verticalholes.therethrough,y one ,on each side of the' hinged, junctionpf. the sills',A two members andasindicated .at AI 3.6, .forthe reception of` pins 23| on the lower ends. .ot..tl1e centeiposts( I9,.2I, 22. and,23.

In erecting the framework, the-f-end-.sills-are unfoldedfwitn Ithe hinges Y.down and .the side sills are slipped... Aoneever. the endsof the front and rearV` sills. .to.niake,.a rectangular base structure. Thel corner#postsv Varefbest Ishown' .in Figures 2, k6, '1, 11, 13 and.29and thesepostsf are provided ywith platesI6|.-projectingbeyond.the ends thereof and ending. in `hools Iihadaptedgto. engagefthe loops IIN-.and |05.on..the ends ofthe. ifrontqand rear sills. It is apparent that the corner posts may now be hookedionto the 4doops tand erected to form a base structurelhavingposts .at each corner.

The. cor-ner; posts'.an,d:center-posts, are4 each in severaLsectionsffand Athese Sections are provided with? square cuir-like; socketgmembers 30,V so. that the upper portions of the posts mayyberigidly joinedftoithe: lower;.;por.tions. The upper ends of thdfrontland rear-center posts;- |9 and 2| yare provided-.with hinged: sections; |9| and 2|| respectively, and-fthe?jointsbetweeny are cuton the diagonal -frwith the :diagonal cut; vsloping downwardlyrandaoutwardly. The; uppermost portions |92 andr2i2are, hingedlyuconnected to the upper portions fof. the;v pestssfby;means.l of; hinges |93 and 2|3. ;-.The,;afhinged connectionofzthese members serves two purposes. Itmot only'permits the post to @beifoldedylnto :a: smaller compass, but also affords means forrstretching the eaves of the tent after; the structurehasbeen completed.

The, -.dow-nwardly scaried; portionof: .the partsy |3| and 2|| -afords a lever so that considerable leverage .may vbeepplled in=stretching the ridge of thetent. 1Thesememberslarelocked into place by means of pins |94 and 2 I4 which pass through suitablegbrackets' :I 96:- and; 2 I 6- respectively on the members g LN2-and 1 2| I.

The upper; zframeymexnbersru, i 26, 21 Iand 28 arelnatwo-.onmore sections. as indicated iniFiguros;A l'l'aandr25.;.andrthese.sections .are provided 4 with hinges Ion their inner faces at the center thereof, as indicated at 24| in Figure 1'1 and 28| in Figure 25. The front and rear frame members 24 and 26 are provided with loops 242 adapted to be slipped on over the upper end of the corner posts and the side frame members 21 and 28 are provided with loop members 282, also adapted to be slipped on over the corner posts. The upper ends of the corner posts are bias-cut on the same slope as the roof of the tentwhendt iserected. The top ends. of the front and rear center posts are also cut on the same angle as the slope of the roof o1 the tent.k The iront and rear center posts are stiened by means of a roof pole 33.

-I also preferably provide an eave support member such as shown at |66 pivotally engaged in the-upper end of the corner posts I6. Similar Y canvas. 39 is fastened to the sill I3.

to the upper ends of the corner posts I4, I1 and I8. vrkFliese members are pivotally engaged to the upper ends of the corner .posts by means of pins |61 and are llocked sinplace by means yof other pins.y as at'r |68 .(FiglI), when. they are in the normal extended position, or asshown in dotted lines, Figure 1l.

After erection-.the variousparts. of the structure may be stiffenediby means of wires, suchas those il1ustrated,at3|. Also the end frame members are lockedginz-placeby means of-.a latch-like member 32 and the center posts held. in rigid position by ridgefpolei33. Ropes,- as at'-34, may

be employed lfor bracing the structure andthe canvas sides, illustrated at. 36,;31,138 and" 3 9- serve also in stiffening the structure asf does the roof covering 4I. The-sides preferably` are rmadeso thatthey mayberol-led 11p-and down, as illustrated, by meansofstraps such as43.

A unique means for holding the canvas roll at any desired position in rolling it -up and down is shown in Figure 26. The lower edge of'the A coil spring 1| is fastenedto the insideface'of voneof the memberswhichmake Vup the framework ofthe wall. A wire or cord 12 is fastened'toithefree end of the spring 1I varidpasses -up-overthe top frame. memberY 28 and downy to a spool-orreel 13 -onthe endof the curtain roll' 14. As the curtain rolls up and down the tension of the spring 1I prevents rolling or -unrolling of the curtain roll by gravity.

In Figure 3 I- have illustratedene formv ofA end for the building structure which-provides a screen covering for the window opening, as illustrated generally at 44|. The screen 44| may' be rolled up for storage. lIn its extended position the screen is clamped by means of the clamping members 442 and 443. Slatsl at 444 and445 also hold the screen inthe extendedposition. `The door likewise isfcollapsible and consists of eollapsible, verticalV frame members'46 and 41 and upper and lower members 4B and 40. `vThe members` 48 and40 hook on over the ends of the vertical members 46'and 41 and the screen 5| may be rolled up and unrolled so as to be secured on the door in the same manner as theA screen'44I.

In erectingithe tent, it is only necessaryto assemble the sills, `Vhoek the corner posts onto the sills, drop the frame members overthe upper members of the corner posts, put the sides on `the structure, and'cover it with th-e roof covering. The roof covering isy tightened by merely folding down the hinged members |66, |0| and'2l I, since the hooks 300 and 30| in the several hingedmembers engage the roofcovering 4I.

Although I -have described a specicembodin ment of my invention,

it is. apparent that modi: ications thereof may be madeby those skilldb'in the art.' vSuch modifications may be made without departing from the spirit 'and scope vof my invention as set forth in theappended claims. I claim as my invention: 'A

l. In a portable building, a framework including sill members and frame members, certain sill members having loops adapted to engage over other sill members, and hooked members adapted to hook over the ends of the second named sill members to position frame members.

2. In a portable building of the class described, foldable members to form sills, otherfol'dable members to form frames, jointed members for forming corner posts and center posts, and means for joining the sill members and the corner posts comprising loops on some of the members and cooperating plates and hooks on other of the members.

3. In a portable building, means for connecting frame members including a loop on one of the members adapted to engage and hold a second one of the members, the second member also having a loop on the engaged end thereof and a third member having a plate and adapted to extend over the junction of the first two named members, and a hook on the plate for engaging the loop on the second member, the members when so assembled forming a corner of a frame structure.

e. In a structure of the class described, a exible roof covering, a center end post having the upper end thereof foldable and the foldable end having a portion extending beyond the joint whereby a leverage is provided for stretching the roof covering.

5. In a structure of the class described and including a roof, a post, and means forming eave supports for the roof of the structure comprising an eave support member pivotally engaged on the upper end of the post.

6. In a structure of the class described, a post, an eave support member pivotally engaged on the upper end of the post, and a means securing the eave support member in eave supporting position at an angle to the post.

7. In a structure of the class described, means for engaging two cross members including cooperating interengaging notches in the members and means for holding one member on the other including a hook pivotally engaged to one of the members and bearing against the other member when in the engaged position to hold it in place.

8. In a portable building of the type having a flexible roof covering, a framework including horizontal sill members and vertical frame members, interengaging means on the ends of the sill members and means on certain of said frame members for holding said interengaging means in interengag-ement so long as said vertical frame members are in generally vertical position, at least certain of said horizontal sill members being foldable, means on certain of said vertical frame members for maintaining the foldable sill members in extended relation, an upper framework receiving the upper portions of said vertical frame members and serving to hold them in vertical position, thereby cooperating with the vertical frame members in holding the interengaging means for said horizontal sill members in position, said upper framework also including foldable members and means on certain of said vertical members for holding the foldable members of said upper framework in extended relation, means on theends of the, foldable members f- Saicl pp'er framework for.n embracing the corner members of said vertical frame members generally below their .upper ends, and hinged roof receiving elements at the upper ends of saidk ver-` tical frame members, unfolding of the latter facilitating assembly of the said embracing means of the upper framework with the upper ends of said corner members of the vertical frame members, certain of said roof receiving elements being swingable laterally outwardly to form eave supf ports for said flexible roof covering and others of said hinged roof receiving elements being movable to stretch said flexible roof covering.

9, In a portable building, a framework including horizontal sill members and vertical frame members, interengaging means on the ends of the sill members and means on certain of said frame members engageable with certain of said engaged members for holding said interengaging means in interengagement so long as said vertical frame members are in generally vertical position, at least certain of said horizontal sill members being foldable, and means on certain of said vertical frame members for maintaining the foldable sill members in extended relation.

10. In a portable building, a framework including horizontal sill members and vertical frame members, interengaging means on the ends of the sill members and means on certain of the frame members engageable with certain of said engaged members for holding said interengaging means in interengagement so long as said vertical frame members are in generally vertical position, at least certain of said horizontal sill members being foldable, means on certain of said vertical frame members for maintaining the foldable sill members in extended position, an upper framework receiving the upper portions of said vertical frame members and serving to hold them in vertical position, said upper framework also including foldable members and means on certain of said vertical members for holding the foldable members of said upper framework in extended relation, and means on the ends of the foldable members of the upper framework for embracing the corner members of said vertical frame members.

11. In a portable building, a pair of generally horizontal members adapted to be assembled with one end of one member next to the adjacent end of the other member, a loop on each of said ends, the first of said loops being shaped to overlap the other of said loops, and a vertical member adapted to engage the outer end of the said other loop and lock said other loop in interengagement with the rst of said loops.

12. In a structure of the class described, a framework consisting of socketed members and foldable members, loops on some of the members for joining same to other members, other loops on said other members, and plates on other of the members having hooks on the ends thereof for engaging the said other loops to form a three piece corner structure.

13. In a portable building, a framework including horizontal sill members and vertical frame members, interengaging means on the ends of the sill members and means on certain of the frame members engageable with certain of said engaged members for holding said interengaging means in interengagement so long as said vertical frame members are in generally vertical position, at least certain of said horizontal sill members being foldable, means on certain of said vertical REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Tanner sept. 12, 1899 15 Number Number 8 Name Date Walker Aug. 15, 1905 Pence May 17, 1910 Averitt Apr. 27, 1915 Scott Oct. 30, 1917 Dickey Apr. 29, 1924 Nantz Nov. 25, 1924 Struckert Dec. 1, 1925 Collins Mar. 11, 1930 Phinn Dec. 23, 1930 Lange Apr. 14, 1931 Johnson Nov, 3, 1931 Max Oct. 11, 1938 Rupright June 2, 1942 

